In 1970 members of Ringgold Georgia community started a tradition to honor the deceased Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, who were residents of Catoosa County at some point. At the time there was only one flag honoring all veterans, but members of the VFW decided each veteran should have a flag of their own. The tradition began with 12 flags that were placed in the Anderson Cemetery in Ringgold. Over the next 46 years the number of flags grew tremendously.